KIRITIMATI (CHRISTMAS) ATOLL
Planned Field Station

(photos circa 1981)
 

Introduction to the KIRITIMATI (CHRISTMAS) ATOLL Planned Field Station

Introduction

The Atoll Institute plans and proposes to establish a field station on Kiritimati (Christmas) atoll in the Republic of Kiribati.  Kiritimati (Christmas) has the largest land area of any atoll in the world, it is located 1,155 nautical miles south of Honolulu, and comprises fully 50% of the landmass of Kiribati, Referring to the chart in the left margin, it has an airport along the north coast, and alternate runway at the southeast corner, both of which can accommodate jets on non-stop flights from North America.  Therefore, the atoll is administrative and economic center of the Line Islands, and due to its shear size it represents the greatest prospect for land filling and reclamation in the face of sea level rise.  Accordingly, much of the Atoll Institute's work will focus on matters relating to its development, and it is therefore necessary and appropriate that a field station be established there in conjunction with the proposed development of an Empyrean Village Inn thereby Empyrean International of Canada.

The Proposed Empyrean Village Inn and Development Site

Referring to the Land Use Plan in the left margin, Empyrean International plans and proposes to establish a 200-unit ecotourism resort on the northwest corner of Kiritimati (Christmas) atoll, and also a conference and study center that would house and facilitate the Atoll Institute's operations.    Also in the left margin are photographs of the gorgeous ocean beach at the northwestern corner, the proposed development site, and the proposed site of a marina and airstrip next to the lagoon.  The Empyrean development concept on Kiritimati (Christmas) mirrors the Tabuaeran (Fanning) one.  Accordingly, the Atoll Institute stands to obtain funding and support from the Empyrean Village Inn.

Physical Characteristics of the Atoll

The physical characteristics of the atoll which dominate it are, first and foremost, the large lagoon and tidal salt flats which surround it, the mature copra plantations in the northern areas, the large areas of relatively undisturbed natural scrub, and its extensive coastline and inshore reefs.   In the left margin are photographs of the lagoon viewed from the north, as well as the southeastern coastline, and the northeast coastline bight, which includes views of sand dunes along the shore,  The latter sand dunes, which are constantly shifting, reach over 25 feet in elevation, and the bight along the shoreline is a hazard to vessels approaching it from east, resulting in several wrecks.   However, from the photographs one can readily appreciate the wide open spaces and the relative pristine nature of the atoll, which therefore presents numerous opportunities and responsibilities.  Referring to the Programs section of this website there exist discussions of some of these issues.

Atoll Institute's Involvement in Development and Logistical Studies

The primary populated area and administrative headquarters of the atoll are located in the northern tip, while he remainder of the atoll is virtually undeveloped and available for development.  The need for development planning is very apparent due to the prospect of a major resettlement of Kiribatese islanders from the Gilbert Islands to Kiritimati (Christmas), which is one of the key issues which the Atoll Institute intends to address early on, and has been a key government priority for at least 60 years, long preceding Kiribati's independence.  Obvious impediments must be addressed, including the need for potable and industrial quantities of water from the ground or other sources, as well as economical communication infrastructures, aviation services, and ocean freight services.  Once such infrastructures become economical, the prospects for development are virtually assured.  In fact, the Kiribati government has made valiant strides towards these ends over the past two and a half decades, but those efforts were largely doomed to failure as they lacked economies of scale.  An example of such efforts was the national air carrier Air Tungaru, which operated a Boeing 727 combi passenger and freight airplane in dedicated service from Honolulu to Kiritimati (Christmas) and then onward to Tarawa in the 1980s, a photograph of which can be seen in the left hand margin. That aircraft could have realized profitable operations had there been a sufficient utilization level. Accordingly, the challenge was and remains one of phased development of transportation services.   In this regard, Empyrean International believes that it can overcome these obstacles with its unique development and marketing approach towards tourism and related industrial development projects.  In this regard, the Atoll Institute will no doubt be instrumental as regards certain feasibility studies.

History of Christmas Island

The first European to "discover" Christmas island was Captain James Cook, who did so on December 24th, 1777, hence the name "Christmas" island which, in Kiribatese, is spelled "Kiritimati."  However, it is reported that the island was first "sighted" by Cortez in 1537.   Nevertheless, it took about 200 years after discovery by Cook for its political status to eventually be resolved between the United Kingdom and the United States, both of which claimed it.  The rivalry of these two powers over this relatively barren but strategic outpost in the Pacific is evident in the histories of it by nationals of each power, excerpts of which are presented below.  Edwin H. Bryan, Jr,, an American curator of the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, wrote an interesting although brief history of it through 1941, and it is excerpted in the left margin.  Likewise, Eric Bailey, an Englishman and former District Officer on the island, wrote a much more comprehensive history of it from a decidedly British perspective, and the portion of it which concerns the history from WWII through 1977 is also excerpted in the left margin.

Generally,  however, the history of Kiritimati (Christmas) can be divided into six basic stages.  The first people to "discover" it were Pacific Islanders, likely Polynesians but perhaps Micronesians, on voyages of discovery, which may have commenced in the eastern Pacific as early as 3,000 BC.  After "discovery" by Europeans as an uninhabited island, it was used as place to call for provisions, owing to the large number of birds and turtles that nested on it, and as such it became a favored anchorage for whalers.  In the 1800s, its potential for the production of copra (dried coconut meat) resulted in the importation of Pacific Islanders, planting of plantations, and the export of copra.  However, this gave way temporarily to WWII and its use as an Allied military base, during which time the airport was built.  Copra production resumed following WWII, but before long the island was secured for a base from which atmospheric atomic testing was undertaken by Britain and America,  The atmospheric testing was conducted above the island, however after it came to a close several studies that indicated that there was no detrimental contamination of the land or vegetation and therefore copra production resumed.  In fact, Empyrean International had water and soil samples tested, and the results obtained correlated with the 'official' studies declaring the island to be safe.  Accordingly, it can be argued that the stage is set for the seventh stage in its history, and that may be as a haven to which the population of Kiribati will flee to as their atolls in the Gilbert Islands are no longer habitable due to incremental effects of sea level rise, or perhaps sudden catastrophic events.

Vision for the Future

There is no doubt that Kiritimati (Christmas) will become the population center of Kiribati.  With a land area of about 150 square miles, it is just under a third the size of the City of Los Angeles, which has a population of over 3.85 million as compared with Kiribati's population of 100 thousand.

 Inevitably, with sea level rise Kiribati will be faced with either trying to preserve all of its 16 inhabited atolls in the Gilbert Islands, Abiriringa (Canton) in the Rawaki (Phoenix) Islands, and 3 inhabited atolls in the Line Islands including Kiritimati (Christmas), or else simply focus on the later.  While there remains much to be said for trying to save all the other inhabited atolls, which is where well over 90% of Kiribati's population now resides, there can be little if any doubt that the primary focus should and will be on saving Kiritimati (Christmas) to serve as a refuge for them all to flee to.  Furthermore, from an environmental standpoint, while all the inhabited atolls of Kiribati have been altered as a consequence of their settlement, despite its minimal settlement this is even more true of Kiritimati (Christmas) due to its use as a copra plantation and subsequent atomic testing operations.  Finally, there are three points to consider.  First, sea level fluctuations are normal; sea levels have been higher and lower than now.  Second, scientists are unable yet to accurately predict how high the sea level will rise in the foreseeable future, although the 300 foot maximum that it could rise is well beyond the scope of anything that could be coped with short of creating anchored floating atolls, therefore it is premature to begin any reclamation efforts until more reliable information is at hand.  Third, once more accurate predictions of foreseeable sea level rise are available it will be necessary to assess each atoll, islet by islet, as to the feasibility and costs associated with reclamation efforts, although it is almost certain that some, if not many, of them will not be worthy of land reclamation.  Taking these factors into consideration, clearly the most sensible approach is to focus on Kiritimati (Christmas) as the physical and economic lifeboat of Kiribati, without ruling out any other options.

In conclusion, Kiritimati (Christmas) presents many opportunities for economic development.  These include some land intensive uses such as agricultural development notwithstanding limited water supplies, ecotourism based on its recreational marine resources, fishing and international fishing fleet support due to its proximity to major tuna and other international commercial fisheries, and eventually deep seabed mining and processing due to its proximity to what are likely the world's richest manganese nodule deposits nearby in the Clarion-Clipperton zone, and in the Cook Islands.  Unquestionably the existence and goals of the Atoll Institute, with its anticipated capacity to attract world authorities in these and other industries, will be crucial in creating the foundation for success.  Hopefully the Kiribati government will soon be faced with making critical development decisions as a result of opportunities that the Atoll Institute will develop, and in so doing its citizens will be secure.

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